Sarah-Jane Bell, left, and Bradley Gordon with APM MacLean Construction Ltd. make repairs to the main entrance at Water Street Fish and Chips in Charlottetown on Aug. 22, 2022, after a Jeep struck the building on Aug. 21. Charles Bennington was sentenced Feb. 7 to one year in jail on charges related to the incident. - SaltWire Network fileCHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. —
Crown attorney Lisa Goulden told the court that on Aug. 21 at around 1:50 a.m., Bennington was driving a Jeep on Queen Street. He turned left at the Water Street intersection and continued to turn left around the corner and onto the sidewalk. Bennington's vehicle struck a man and then crashed into the front entrance area of Water St. Fish and Chips.
A large crowd had also gathered around the collision. Bennington showed signs of impairment, including slurred speech, and was arrested. At the Charlottetown Police Station, he declined to speak to a lawyer. Bennington also did not provide breathalyzer samples, but he admitted to police that he was drunk, said Goulden.
Defence lawyer Isaac Quinn said his client was in P.E.I. visiting family. That night, he was drinking alcohol and decided to drive after having difficulty finding a taxi. Since the incident, Bennington has stopped drinking alcohol and attends counselling, said Quinn.